Material handling apparatus



l1g 10, 1954 J. H. HAMPTONA ETAL 2,686,083

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 1o,` 195o s eo \3 e 8 A s AINVENTOR OoHN H- HAMPTON Allg 10, 1954 J. H. HAMPTON ET AL 2,686,083

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March l0, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. JOHN H. HAMPTON BY THOMAS E. PY NOR AT1-orne Aug. 10, 1954Filed March l0, 1950 J. H. HAMPTON ETAL MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 3Sheets-Shea?I 3 JOHAN H- HAMPTON BYTHOMHS E- FDYNOR Mmmm,

Patented Aug. 10, 1954 2,686,083 MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS John H.Hampton,

Pynor, Port Kennedy, mont Birch Company, poration of Pennsylvani Oaklyn,N. J., and Thomas E.

Pa., assignors to Beau- Philadelphia, Pa., a. cor- Application March 10,1950, Serial No. 148,952 6 Claims. (Cl. SBZ-53) This invention relatesgenerally to materialhandling apparatus and more particularly toapparatus designed for the pneumatic handling and conveying of bulkmaterial which is powdered, ground or otherwise reduced to finelycomminuted state.

Among the principal objects of the present invention is to provide animproved apparatus which includes a main container for receiving of thematerial is discharged by compressed air for pneumatic conthrough aconduit system to a use of the material, the container being providedwith means which are operative to 1) insure reception in the containerof only a predetermined quantity of the material to be handled; (2)insure automatic sealing of the 'container when the material thereinreaches a predetermined level, such sealing being eifected tointroduction of compressed air 1n the container for expulsion of thecomminuted material; and (3) insure venting of the container' toatmosphere following discharge of the material therefrom and during theoperation of lling the container with a succeeding batch of material.

In addition to the foregoing, it is among the objects of the presentinvention to provide a pneumatic conveyor apparatus for comminutedmaterials having multiple-ported manifold means for introducing airunder pressure at points spaced substantially uniformly about theinaterial-ieceiving container, thereby insuring uniform distribution andapplication of the materiahexpelling compressed air to the mass ofc:ials in the container', the apparatus includin addition to saidmanifold, baffle means which serve to prevent clogging of the air demlivery ports of the manifold.

further and important object of the invention is to provide an apparatusof the character aforesaid having means for loosening, by aeration, thematerial within the container so as to vent any tendency for thematerial to become solidly packed within the container, particularly inthe material pick-up region immediately sur rounding 'the inlet to thedischarge conduit of the container, said means being operative to effectuniform aeration cf the material throughout said material pick-upregion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide aforesaid amaterial-receiving container having auxiliary means for injection of ahigh-velocity in an apparatus of the characterk jet of compressed airinto the inlet end of the container discharge conduit in such mannerasto induce a suction action upon the material in the immedate .zone ofentry of material into said conduit, said suction action supplementingthe positive pressure of the compressed air Within the sealed containerto insure complete expulsion of the material from the container.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in anapparatus of the character aforesaid means, essentially in the form of asteam jacket for the material-receiving container, for drying thematerial Within the container and so conditioning it for most efficientdischarge from the container and conveyance to its point of use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will app-ear more fullyhereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consistssubstantially in the combination, construction, location and relativearrangement of parts, all as described in detail in the followingspeciication, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finallypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of certainpreferred embodiments of the present invention,

Figure l is a vertical sectional View of one :preferred form ofapparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles ofthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevational view of the top portion of saidapparatus as viewed from the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the portion of the apparatus shown inFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a preferr-ed construction of alevel indicator and control device which is operative to effect closureof the container when the same is charged with material to apredetermined level;

Figure 5 is a topV plan View of the terminal plate of said levelindicator;

Figure 6 is a sectional View of the tern inal plate as taken along theline 6 6 of Figure 4; and Y Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of amodi- -ed form of the'apparatus of the present invention.

Referring now rto the drawings and particularly to Figure l thereof, itwill be observed that the apparatus ci the present invention includes ay container le adapted to receive successive charges of the comminutedmaterial to be handled. The container itl is preferably of the formshown, its main body portion being of inverted truste-conical. shape theupper end of which is closed by a centrally apertured domeliize top i2,the central aperture of the top being fitted with an annular sleeve orcollar i3 to provide an openingthrough which the container be nlled to apredetermined level. Operatively associated with the iilling openingfitting i3 is a closure member i4 of generally conical shape, thisciosure member, when it its raised position as shown in Figure l, beingadapted to seat against an annular rubber gasket l5 suitably fitted inthe bottom end of the fitting i3. Preferably, the closure menber ld issuspended, as at i5, from the inner end of a bell-crank lever assemblyi6 having a supporting shaft il suitably journalled in a side Wallportion of the f1tting i3. The outer extremity of the lever assembly i6is connected, as at i3, to the piston rod i8 or a compressed aircylinder 2li, which latter is in turn pivotally mounted, as at 2i, upona bracket 22 suitably secured to the upper end of the container it.

The general arrangement of the closure ld and its associated compressedair cylinder 2t is such as to provide for automatic fluid pressureactuation of the closure member lll by means of an electrically operatedcontrol unit 23 suitably suspended from the top wall I2 of the containerfor disposition within the interior thereof.

As most clearly appears in Figures 1 and e to 6, this control unit 23essentially consists of a hollow bulb-like casing formed or a pair ofseparable, generally cylindrical members 24 and 25 which arescrew-threaded together, as at 2G, to clamp therebetween a circularterminal block 2'! suitably formed oi insulating material. Secured tothe bottom surface of this terminal block 2i', as by means of a pair ofbolts 2E28, is a right angular bracket member 29 having a verticallydepending arm Sil. Mounted upon this depending arm 39 by means of bolts3| is a clip member 32 having vertically spaced pairs ofspringclip-ingers 33. Supported by these spring-clipngers 33 is amercury type contact unit consisting of a glass tube 34 in which issealed a pair of electrical conductor rods 35-3, the lower ends of whichare adapted to be bridged by a pool ci mercury 31 when the tube 34 isinclined with respect to the vertical. This mercury type contact tube isWell known in the art, one form thereof being manufactured and soldunder the name Mercoid by The Mercoid Corporation, o Chicago, Illinois.It will be understood, accordingly, that the mercury contact tube 3d,apart from its associated elements as described, forms no part of thepresent invention.

The conductor rods It- 36, which are normally electrically disconnectedwhen the tube 35i is vertically disposed, are respectively connected toa pair of terminal bolts 33-38 carried by the plate 21 in insulatingrelation with respect to the bracket supporting bolts 2li-23. Theterminal bolts 33-38 are in turn respectively connected to a pair ofconductor Wires which extend upwardly from the external casing of thecontrol unit 23 through a flexible conduit 39 threadedly secured at itslower end, as at 4t, to the unit 23 and at its upper end, as at 4i (seeFigure 1), to a supporting plate 42 suitably secured to the top Wall I2of the container in covering relation to an opening #3.3 in said topWall for projection of the control unit therethrough. The conductorWires 323-38 leading from the control unit may be conventionallyconnected With any suitable type of audible or visual indicator (notshown) adapted to be energized when the control unit is deflected, asshown in dotted lines in Figure l, to eiect electrical bridging of themercury tube conductor rods 35i-36. Preferably, however, the conductorWires 38-38 are connected in circuit with a relay (not shown) forcontrolling the operation of the fluid pressure cylinder 2li, thisarrangement being such that automatically as the mercury tube 34 istilted out of its normal vertical position, the fluid pressure cylinder2S is actuated to raise the closure l against its seat I5 and so sealoff the interior of the container lil.

It will be apparent that tilting of the control unit 23 into position toeffect closing of the electrical circuit for control of the fluidpressure cylinder' 2i! or for actuation of an audible or visual signalwill occur automatically as the level of the material introduced intothe container lil reaches a predetermined height, such level beingindicated for illustrative purposes by the dotted line in Figure 1.inasmuch as it is necessary to securely maintain the closure ld in itsclosed position, as shown in Figure 1, until all ci the material in thecontainer iii has been completely expelled therefrom, any suitableprovision may be made for holding closed the relay circuit whichcontrols actuation of the fluid pressure cylinder 2e upon return of thecontrol unit 23 into its normal iull line position shown in Figure 1, aswhen the material in the container I6 drops below the normal position ofsaid control unit. Since the electrical circuit, which includes thecontrol unit 23 and the cylinder` actuating relay or relays, forms nopart of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to describethe same herein, it being merely pointed out in this connection that thecircuit arrangement would be such as to automatically seat the closuremember ld in its closed position when the container Hi is charged with apredetermined quantity of the material to be handled and toautomatically open the closure member Hl when the container iscompletely emptied of material and is freed of any superatmospheric airpressure. It will be understood, of course, that Where the control unit23 is employed merely as a maireand-brealr switch for electrical controlof an audible or visual signal to indicate when the material introducedinto the container it reaches a predetermined level, the fluid-pressurecylinder E@ may be manually controlled for fluid-pressure closing andopening of the member It, or, if so desired, the closure member lll maybe designed for manual opening and closing thereof as required.

n one preferred construction of the apparatus, as shown in Figure l, theconical body portion of the container li) is internally iittcd with avertically spaced pair of compressed air supply manfolds 45 and e6. Eachof these manifolds is in the form of an annular channel, preferably ofsemicylindrical cross-section which is secured to and extendscircumferentially about the external wall of the container. Formed in aportion of the container wall, which is embraced by each of themanifolds 45 and llt, is a row of circumerentially spaced openings It?,Wluch openings serve as ports for introduction of compressed air fromeach of the manifolds into the interior of the container l0.

Secured to the inner Wall surface of the container lil are a pair ofvertically spaced annular baffles 4B and 49, each of invertedfrusto-conical shape, As clearly appears in Figure 1, the baies 48 and49 are respectively secured in position to overlie the circumferentiallyspaced air delivery ports of the manifolds i5 and 45, the baffles beingeach relatively so inclined inwardly of the ported wall portions of thecontainer lil as to permit free and unobstructed passage of thecompressed air into the container I at the same time that they shieldthe air delivery ports from becoming clogged by the material with whichthe container is charged.

The manifolds 45 and 46 are respectively connected by way of suitablyvalved laterally extending pipe lines t and 5| to a main compressed airsupply line 52, which latter is preferably disposed to one side of thecontainer it and rises vertically to a point above the top of thecontainer where it may be connected to a conduit (not shown) leading toa supply of compressed air, ordinarily of a pressure in the neighborhoodof 100 pounds per square inch.

Projecting through the top wall l2 of the container it into the interiorof the container is a material discharge conduit 53, the lower end ofwhich is open, as at 54, and centered within the container il] at apoint spaced just above the closed bottom thereof. Preferably, the open'cottom end of the conduit 53 is disposed in substantially coplanarrelation with respect to the bottom edge of the lowermost baliie liti,thereby proriding an annular space 55 between the concentric bottomedges of the baiiie i9 and the conduit lit for free iiow of the materialinto the bottom end of the conduit for subsequent discharge of thematerial from the container l0 by way of the conduit 53. It will beunderstood, of course, that the outer end 56 of the material dischargeconduit 53 may be suitably connected to a conveyor pipe (not shown) forconveyance of the material to any desired point remote from thecontainer it.

As most clearly appears in Figures 2 and 3, the top Wall l2 of thecontainer l@ is fitted with a suitably valved air vent 5l, its valvebody being indicated as at 5S. The compressed air supply line 52 iscorrespondingly itted With a valve, the external body of which isindicated as at 5Fl. The valves 58 and 59 are preferably interconnectedfor conjoint uid pressure operation by means of an air cylinder GQhaving one end thereof pivotally secured, as at Si (see Figure 3), to asuitable bracket or support 52 suitably fixed to the top wall i2 of thecontainer. The operating shaft t3 of the air vent valve 5S and theoperating shaft te of the air pressure supply valve 59 are respectivelytted with actuating arms 65 and 6, the free ends of which latter aresecured together to form a yoke having an extension 6l which ispivotally connected, as at 68, to a clevis S9 secured to the end of thepiston rod l0 of the air cylinder til. The valves 58 and 59 arerelatively so set that upon either one of said valves being opened theother is closed. Thus, when the air cylinder @il is operated to open thevalve de for introduction of compressed air into the interior of thecontainer i0, the air vent valve 58 will be automatically closed.Conversely, when the valve 59 is closed following expulsion of all ofthe material from the container it, the air vent valve 58 isautomatically opened to vent the interior of the container lil toatmosphere, whereupon the container may be filled with another batch ofthe material to be handled.

In the form of construction of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, thelower end of the container i ii is fitted with a centrally aperturedmember l! 6. which is' tapped, as at 12, to threadedly receive anaxially adjustable compressed air supply nozzle unit 73. This 'nozzlelunit 13 includes an externally threaded body member, the closed innerend wall of which is curved, as shown, to provide an axially curvedsurface li for streamlined flow of the material into the intake end ofthe material discharge conduit 53. The axially pointed inner end wall ofthe nozzle unit 'i3 is axially bored, as at 15, to form an air dischargeorice of restricted diameter, this orifice being in communicationwith anair inlet tube l cen' trally fitted in the unit 13. The outer end of theair inlet tube I6 is connected by means of a swivel joint il to a valveair supply pipe i8 which is tapped into the air supply line 5i?, as atis. In order to permit axial adjustment of the nozzle unit so as tovary, as desired, the spacing between the end of the nozzle unit 'i3 andthe proximate end ofthe discharge conduit 53, the air supply line 18leading to the nozzle unit i3 may include a flexible hose section Si?.

It will be understood, of course, that the function of the auxiliary airnozzle i3 is to inject into the lower end of the material dischargeconduit 5S a high velocity jet of compressed air which not only servesto prevent clogging of the inlet end of the conduit 53 by the materialbeing handled, but also induces a suction action in the immediate regionof the inlet end of the conduit 53 which aids continuous flow of thematerial from the container into and through the conduit 53. The nozzleunit 'I3 may be secured in its axially adjusted position by a lockingnut t?, threaded upon the nozzle body 'l2 for clamping engagementagainst the nozzle supporting member l.

In operation of the apparatus shown in Figure l, a batch of the materialto be handled is gravity fed, from railroad cars, trucks or storagebins, into the container l (l by way of the opened conical closuremember lli. During the operation of charging the container, its vent 5lis open to permit free now to atmosphere of the air displaced in thecontainer by the material, while at the same time the valve 59controlling the supply of compressed air to the container is closed.When this material reaches a predetermined level in the container asindicated by the level indicator and control unit 23, this member it isclosed, either manually or automatically under control of the unit 23,following which the air vent valve 58 is also closed to seal thecontainer simultaneously as the compressed air supply valve 59 isopened, preferably by the air cylinder t@ as hereinbefore described.

The compressed air may be introduced into the container through eitherone or both of the manifolds l5 and llt, and, if necessary,compressedair may also simultaneously be introduced into the containerby Way of the auxiliary nozzle unit "i3, The continual supply ofcompressed air into the container aerates the materialv therein andforces it toenter the conduit 53 at its inlet end 5e for transfer of thematerial to a receiving bin (not shown) located at the far end of theconveying line which is an extension of the conduit 53. T.t will beobserved that the compressed air primarily enters the container il byway of the multiple-ported manifolds i5 and 5 and that the several portsil of these manifolds are protected by the conical baille-s et and fillagainst clogging by the material in the container. By virtue of thecircumferential spacing of theseair inlet ports ,47, the material'. isunipressure of air supplied thereto,

formly aerated, particularly in the lower region of the container,thereby preventing such packing of the material as might interfere withits free now into and through the conduit 53.

By suitably adjusting the auxiliary nozzle unit 'i3 axially with respectto the material intake end of the conduit 53, the size of the feed gapmay be varied for entry of the material into the discharge conduit 53.Different materials may require larger or smaller feed gaps for bestdischarge thereof from the container for a given and the axiallyadjustable nozzle provides a convenient means for obtaining suchvariable feed gap.

It will be understood, of course, that the air pressure is maintained inthe container i2 until all of the material therein has been dischargedtherefrom by way of the conduit 53, whereupon the air supply valve 59 isclosed simultaneously as the air vent valve 58 is opened. The containeris then under atmospheric pressure only and may be charged with afurther supply of material by way of the opened conical closure memberi@ to repeat the cycle of operation as just described.

It is sometimes the case that the material to be handled is in moistcondition and in order to best convey such material it may be desirableto heat and dry the material within the conveyor tank preliminary to itsintroduction into the conveyor conduit. Figure 7 illustrates a modiiiedconstruction of the apparatus of the present invention wherein thecontainer 8i for initial reception of the material to be handled isenclosed within a jacket t2 to provide va chamber 83 into which steammay be introduced for heating the container 8l and the materialcontained therein.

The steam is introduced into the steam jacket by way of a steam pipe 84,the bottom of the jacket being provided with an outlet 85 for dischargeof the steam condensate. The materialreceiving container 8| is generallyof the shape and construction previously described in that it isprovided with compressed air delivery maniiolds 45a and 46a whichclosely embrace and extend circumferentially about vertically spacedannular rows of inlet ports lla formed in the wall of the container,these ports being protected against clogging by the material in thecontainer by the internal conically-shaped baies Illia and ilse.

The compressed air for expelling the material from the container 8l byway of the materialdischarge conduit 53a is commonly supplied to themanifolds @e and 46 by a pipe section 813 which constitutes the terminalextension of the compressed air supply line 86. Preferably, this supplyline, upon entering the steam jacket 82,

extends circumferentially thereabout in the form of a coil Sl having itsend connected to the pipe section 84, as at 88, so that the compressedair circulating through said coil may be heated by the steam prior toits introduction into the container. If desired, the coil section Sl ofthe air supplyl line may be iinned to provide for increased heattransfer, it being understood, of course, that the heated compressed airassists in quick drying of the material contained within the container8i.

As in the previously described form of the apparatus of the presentinvention, the top of the container 8l is suitably provided with amaterial charging inlet 8S leading to a filling opening which is adaptedto be sealed by a cone valve 9B designed to seat against a rubber seal9|. The Cone valve SQ may be arranged for :duid-pressure actuationthereof, as by an air cylinder S2 having its piston rod S3 connected tothe cone valve as shown.

In the steam-heated form of the apparatus shown in Figure 7, the bottomoi the container 8l is preferably enclosed by a plate member 9A which isdished, as shown, to provide a raised central portion Q5 of convex shapecircumferentially bounded by a contiguous annular portion 96 or concaveform, the surfaces of these portions merging smoothly to provide anannular reentrant surface for flow of the material around thecircumferential edge of and into the inlet end of the material-dischargeconduit 53a. If desired, the bottom closure plate member 94 may beemployed in the form of apparatus shown in Figure l in lieu of theaxially adjustable auxiliary nozzle unit '53. Also, if desired, thecontainer 8l of the apparatus shown in Figure '7 may be provided with alevel indicator and control unit similar to the unit 23 described inconnection with the apparatus of Figure l.

It will be observed that in both forms of the apparatus as shown, thecompressed air is directed by the baille plates, particularly thelowermost one, directly into the region immediately surrounding the icedgap communicating with the inlet end of the material-dischargingconduit. The compressed air so directed into the interior of thecontainer acts as a scavenging medium to prevent such packing orlodgment of the material in the bottom of the container as wouldinterfere with its free expulsion from the container by way of thedischarge conduit, the scavenging operation being rendered especiallyeffective by the reentrant flow surface provided for the material at thefeed gap, such as the annular concave surface surrounding the auxiliaryair jet oriiice l5 in the apparatus of Figure l and the correspondingsurface surrounding the central raised portion 95 of the bottom plate Seemployed in the apparatus of Figure 6.

It will be understood that the present invention is susceptible ofvarious other changes and modifications which may be made from time totime without departing from the general principles or real spirit of theinvention, and it is accordingly intended to define the same broadly aswell as specifically as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In an apparatus for the pneumatic handling and conveying of iinelycomminuted material, a main container for the material of generallyinverted conical shape having a closed bottom end and a material inletopening in the top thereof, means for sealing said inlet opening, amaterialdischarge conduit extending from a point within said containeradjacent its bottom end to and through the top wall of the container, acompressed-air supply manifold of annular form snugly embracing theexternal wall of the container, said manifold being commonly incornmunication with a plurality of circumterentially spaced air inletopenings formed in the wall of the container, and an annular bafflemember of inverted conical shape disposed internally of the containerwith its upper circumferential edge contiguous with the wall oi thecontainer along a circumferential line spaced above said air inletopenings, the annular wall of said baille member being downwardly andinwardly inclined relatively to the wall surface of said container sothat the internal surface of said baille member serves to deflect thematerial away from said air inlet openings to prevent clogging of thelatter while the external Wall surface of said baille member serves as adeflector to direct the compressed air introduced into the tankY by wayof said air inlet openings downwardly into the bottom region of thecontainer immediately surrounding the lower end of saidmaterial-discharge conduit.

2. In an apparatus of the character defined in claim l wherein saidmaterial-discharge conduit is disposed with its lower end substantiallyin the horizontal plane of and concentric with the lowermost edge ofsaid baille member whereby to provide an annular material feed gapbetween the concentric bottom edges of said baille member and saidconduit.

3. In an apparatus of the character defined in claim 1 wherein isincluded a second compressed air manifold in vertically spaced relationto said first-mentioned manifold, said second manifold being alsoarranged to supply compressed air into the container by way of aplurality of circumferentially spaced air inlet ports formed in the Wallof the container, and wherein a second baille member is operativelydisposed internally of the container in vertically spaced relation tothe firstmentioned baille member to prevent clogging of the air inletopenings of the second-mentioned manifold and to direct the airdelivered therethrough downwardly tainer.

4. In an apparatus for the pneumatic handling and conveying of finelycomminuted materials, a

into the bottom of the conmain container having a material-receivingbody portion of generally inverted conical shape, said container beingenclosed at its top and bottom ends and being provided with a materialinlet opening in its top, means for sealing said inlet opening, amaterial-discharge conduit extending into said container for pneumaticconveyance of the material from the container, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced air inlet ports formed in the wall of thecontainer, baille means disposed internally of the conveyor in overlyingrelation to said inlet ports to protect the latter against clogging bythe material in the container, and a compressed-air supply manifold ofchannelshaped cross-section snugly embracing the eX- ternal wall of thecontainer with its opposite side walls embracing therebetween the airinlet ports aforesaid, said baille means being in the form of an annularmember of inverted frustoconical shape, the annular wall of which isinwardly inclined with respect to the container wall so that theexternal surface of the annular baille member serves as a deflector todirect the compressed air issuing from said air inlet ports downwardlyinto the bottom region of the container.

5. In an apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the closure for thebottom end of the container is of such diametric cross-section as toprovide an annular flow surface coaxial with and vertically spaced fromthe material intake opening at the lower end of said discharge conduit,said ilow surface being of concave form in transverse cross-section andso disposed relatively to the lower end of said discharge conduit as todirect the material around the edge of the material intake opening andthence upwardly into the conduit for discharge of the materialtherefrom, said ow surface being self-cleaning by the passage ofmaterial thereover under the pressure of the compressed air in thecontainer.

6. In an apparatus as defined in claim 4 where- 'm the closure for thebottom end of the container is of such diametric cross-section as toprovide an annular iiow surface coaxial with and vertically spaced fromthe material intake opening at the lower end of said discharge conduit,said flow surface being of concave form in transverse cross-section andso disposedrelatively to the lower end of said discharge conduit as todirect the material around the edge of the material intake opening andthence upwardly into the conduit for discharge of the materialtherefrom, said ilow surface being self-cleaning by the passage ofmaterial thereover under the pressure of the compressed air in thecontainer, and said closure being axially adjustable relatively to theconduit intake opening to vary the size of the feed gap formed betweensaid annular flow surface and the proximate lower end of the conduit.

References Cited in the le of this patent

